Tablet container



Oct. 13, 1953 w, DAVOREN 2,655,259

TABLET CONTAINER Filed Nov. 15, 1949 INVENTOR. Vp'uiam/ F Davorem,

ATTOR N EY Patented Oct. 13, 1953 TABLET CONTAINER William Francis Davoren, Huntsville, Ala. Application November 15, 1949, Serial No. 121,349

1 Claim.

This invention pertains to an improved container for medicinal tablets or pills which is so designed as to be readily opened with either hand and which is provided with improved means for severing or dividing the tablets where it is desired to administer a dose of one half a tablet or similar fractions thereof.

It has been the usual practice in the past when administering a half tablet dose merely to break the tablet between the fingers or otherwise sever the ame which results in inaccurate breakage and frequently in complete destruction of the tablet. Even where the tablets are scored across one diameter hand breakage frequently results in improper cleavage between the halves of the tablet.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a pill or tablet container which includes novel means for cleanly severing a tablet in two equal halves or other fractions.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the improved container in full open position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved container partially closed with a tablet in position to be severed thereby;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the improved container in closed position subsequent to the division of a tablet and showing the severed portion thereof outside of the closed container; and

Fig. 4 is a cut-away section view showing an alternative embodiment of the cutting notch provided in one of the upstanding walls of the container.

In the drawings, the container which is preferably generally rectangular in shape and formed of a light easily worked metal, comprises a rectangular bottom portion 6 with four upwardly extending walls and a cooperating rectangular top portion I with four depending walls, the two portions being hingedly joined together in any well known fashion, as by pins or by registering studs and depressions at points 8 and 9 at their rearward extremities. Top I is designed to make a reasonably close fit over bottom 6.

It will be noted that hinge points 8 and 9 are disposed at the upper rearward extremity of bottom 6 adjacent its rear wall and are disposed toward the lower rearward extremity of cover I in such fashion that cover I may be freely swung about the two hinge points. The rearward wall of cover I behind the hing line is preferably cut away at I to allow this wall to pass the rear wall of bottom 6. The lateral depending walls III and I I of cover I are preferably cut back slightly i depth equal to approximately one half of the height of wall I2'and is preferably slightly greater in length than the diameter of the pills or tablets which are to be purveyed in the container. Notch I3 may be formed by stamping'or cutting or in any other appropriatefashion and is so positioned that upon swinging cover '1 about pivot points 8 and 9 to close the container the lower edge of wall II] of cover I will engage the tablet and sweep across the outer surface of wall I2 with a shearing action to cleanly sever a pill or tablet disposed or held therein as shown in Fig. 2. Such severance is facilitated if the tablets'are scored as at I8. 1

Where the tablets are scored they'may be placed in notch I3 with the score line down, registering with the lower extremity of notch I3 to hold the tablet firmly in notch I3. However, an unscored tablet may be placed in notch I3 and held in proper position therein while the cover I is closed to sever the tablet.

As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing the depth of rectangular notch I3 is preferably slightly greater than the maximum thickness of the tablet designed to be severed therein. This prevents a too early contact between the lower edge of wall II) of cover I and the anterior edge of the tablet, which contact might tend to unseat the tablet in notch I3. Further, as noted the notch I3 is positioned closer to the front 6 than to the rear of the bottom portion.

Preferably the vertical edges I4 and I5 of notch I3 form a angle with the bottom extremity thereof. However, walls I4 and I5 of notch I3 may be inclined at obtuse angles to bottom edge I3 thereof to facilitate insertion of tablets into notch I3. Further, where the tablets to be severed are rounded on their upper and lower surfaces the bottom edge I3 of notch I3 may be curved to correspond, to the curvature of the tablets, as shown in Fig. 4.

In utilizing the novel containerfor the severing of a pill or tablet the container is preferably opened by applying pressure to the upper rear.- ward extremity of cover I. With cover I in open position a tablet is extracted from the bottom V portion 6 and is placed in a horizontal position in notch [3 with the lower edge of notch l3 disposed in the score line I8 of the tablet to maintain it firmly in position therein. With the fingers of one hand maintaining the tablet properly in position cover 1 is then forced downwardly until the lower edge 10 of wall 10 contacts the tablet, at which time additional force is applied and the tablet is evenly sheared in half by the combined cutting action of the lower portion of wall l and the bottom edge of notch I3. The half portion of the tablet to be used falls outside of the closed container, as shown in Fig. 3, while the other half of the tablet falls inside of the container. Unnecessary handling of either half of the tablet is thus avoided.

Where an unscored tablet is to be severed it is placed in proper position in notch l3 and held therein until the lower edge of wall 10 contacts the anterior portion of the tablet, holding it firmly in place in notch 13. Additional down ward pressure is then applied to cover '1 resulting in the severing of the tablet. If desired the notch [3 could be provided in the top I, as indicated in dotted lines at 1', instead of in the bottom 6.

some play should be provided at hinge points 8 and 9 to facilitate passage of cover I over bottom 6. For example, if hinge pins are used the holes may be larger than the pins, or if a stud and corresponding dent are used, the dent may be considerably larger than the stud, to permit play therebetween.

A stud I6 is provided in the forward wall of bottom 6 to register with a concave depression I! provided in the central forward wall of cover I to form a latch to maintain the box in closed position.

The invention is susceptible to other embodiments without departing from the spirit thereof. As before stated, the walls I 4 and of notch 13 may be inclined at obtuse angles to its bottom edge l3 to facilitate insertion of tablets in notch l3. Further, lower edge l3 of notch I3 may be curved rather than rectilinear to fit the curvature of rounded tablets.

The notch is preferably provided in one of the lateral walls of the container but it may be formed in the forward wall, if desired, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Attention is directed to the following claim for a limitation of its scope.

What is claimed is:

In a container, a rectangular hollow bottom portion provided with vertical upstanding front, back and side walls, a rectangular hollow cover provided with downwardly depending front, back and side walls closely fitting over the corresponding walls of said bottom portion and fixedly pivoted to said bottom portion by pins passing through the rearward extremities of the corresponding side walls, the side walls of the cover being narrowed and upwardly curved rearwardly toward said hinge pin, one of said walls of said bottom portion having an elongated substantially rectangular notch extending downwardly from its upper edge whereby the lower edge of one of the lateral walls of said cover will pass closely across said notch with a gradual shearing action as said cover is forced downwardly over said bottom portion.

WILLIAM FRANCIS DAVQREN,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 191,038 Ebert May 22; 1377 322,105 Istel July 14, 1885 567,95? Beach Sept. 22, 1896 1,121,062 Bauer Dec. 15, 1914 2,197,481 Nyden Apr. 16, 1940 2,219,487 Nyden Oct. 29, 1940 2,386,416 Wilhelm Oct. 9, 1945 2,492,864 Hermani Dec. 27, 1949 

